Colorado Architecture News | 12.18.24
News from the Colorado Chapter of The American Institute of Architects | 12.18.24
In this Newsletter:
- Letter from the President: 2024 year in review
- ByDesign: Architecture TV show filming in Colorado soon and you and your project could be featured on an episode!
- 2023 Practice + Design keynote presentations now available to watch on AIAU
- 2024 Legislator Awards
- Dec 18: West Section Holiday Happy Hour in Aspen
- Dec 19: South Section Holiday Happy Hour in Colorado Springs
- Partner news
- National news
- Premier Partner spotlight: IMEG
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
Julianne Scherer, AIA
President
Thank you for your attendance and enthusiasm making this year’s Practice + Design Conference another spectacular experience, full of intellectual stimulation and professional camaraderie! Our conference is the best in the region, if not the nation, curated by members, for members, and happens only because of active member participation. Thank you!
We’ve had another active year! Several items from this year come to mind:
- Starting with a stellar group of volunteers embracing the revised structure and holding over 61 events, offering a total of 40.5 LU’s and 80.5 LU|HSW.
- Ascending on Capitol Hill in February to share with our elected officials to advocate for pressing legislation that will significantly impact the architecture profession and community needs.
- The passing of the architecture practice act here in Colorado.
- The celebration of our members works at the Design + Honor Awards.
- The times when our Government Affairs Committee (GAC) has supported and advocated for architects, including support for our members in Boulder as they responded to recent zoning changes.
- The sustainability codes event held in Basalt with our partners at CORE this past May.
- Hosting the Big Sibs and Large States in Denver with over 90 attendees from across the country.
- AIA Convention participation and voting at AIA24 in Washington D.C. this past June.
- And augmented our mission statement to capture the essence of our place and practice.
We continued to build bridges with likeminded organizations including the City and County of Denver, Denver Architecture Foundation (DAF), Aspen Art Museum, ACE Mentorship Program of Colorado, CORE, Denver Public Schools, NOMA, Community College of Denver, SEAC, University of Colorado ENVD, University of Colorado CAP, AIAS, and others to bring our profession front of mind. Let’s keep working together to keep our profession relevant and our emerging professionals engaged. For the future is dependent on their love of our craft.
As my presidency nears its end, I continue to be grateful and honored to serve you and our profession. I look forward to partnering with our 2025 leaders, Scott Rodwin, AIA, and Andy Rockmore, AIA, the entire Board, and you, our members. Together, as one AIA Colorado, we will continue to work our mission ‘Elevating the architecture profession to design a more equitable, sustainable, and beautiful Colorado.’
AIA COLORADO NEWS
ByDesign: Architecture filming in Colorado!
Exciting News! ByDesign: Architecture is coming to Colorado! As a TV series airing on CBS with the goal to bring greater visibility to showcase exceptional design principles, projects, materials and products, ByDesign: Architecture is a magazine-style half hour television program exclusively showcasing some of the best architecture by AIA members. In partnership with AIA Colorado, ByDesign will soon spotlight the innovative work of Colorado architects and their incredible projects.
Do you have a project in mind? Now’s your chance to be featured on this acclaimed TV series! We’re actively looking for projects by Colorado architects.
EJ Meade, AIA, of Arch11, 2024’s Firm of the Year, is a Colorado architect who has already been featured on a previous episode and said this of his experience: “Through America ByDesign, Arch11 highlighted how our design for Dyna Energetics embodies architecture’s role in shaping spaces that enhance collaboration, communication, and equality for all users. The show also amplified our commitment to tackling environmental and energy issues, creating an engaging dialogue with a diverse audience.”
Learn more about this opportunity and watch the Season 1 episode featuring EJ here.
New to AIAU: AIA Colorado’s 2023 Conference Keynotes!
Are you needing extra learning units before the year is up? Or, did you miss the 2023 Practice + Design Conference and want to watch the keynote presentations? Well, you’re in luck! Newly added to AIAU, you can now enjoy all four keynotes.
- Designing With People + Place: A Conversation with Tom Kundig, FAIA (1 LU)
- The Future of Cities • Carol Ross Barney, FAIA (1 HSW)
- Mithun: Design for Positive Change • Dave Goldberg, FAIA (1 LU)
- Designing in Timber: A Collaborative Approach to Architecture, Engineering, and Construction • Laura Britton, AIA, Dean Maltz, AIA & Dr. Gregory Kingsley, PhD (1 HSW)
2024 Legislator Awards
The AIA Colorado Government Affairs Committee (GAC) is thrilled to announce Sen. James Coleman as the recipient of our 2024 Legislator of the Year award and Rep. William Lindstedt as 2024’s Outstanding New Legislator. Thank you to both Sen. Coleman and Rep. Lindstedt for their continued support of the architectural profession’s interests at the Capitol as we all strive to live in a more equitable, sustainable, and beautiful Colorado! Read more about each legislator’s efforts on our behalf and see photos from Sen. Coleman’s award presentation here.
2024 Practice + Design Conference
Attendance from this year’s conference has been uploaded and automatically added AIA transcripts. If you need certificates, or have a question about your transcript as it relates to conference attendance, please contact Rylee Younger.
AIA Colorado Events
Holiday Happy Hours
Members in Denver enjoyed a Holiday Happy Hour and tour of OZ Architecture’sbeautifully expanded and renovated offices (left picture). Many thanks to the team at OZ Architecture for opening their doors and hosting the event!
North Section members gathered in Boulder at the T-Zero lounge inside the St. Julien hotel and enjoyed the time together (right picture).
Two more Holiday Happy Hours remain to close out the year of events. Join us tonight in the West at Forum Phi’s Aspen office and tomorrow night in Colorado Springs at Ivywild School’s Study Hall event space.
All four events feature raffle giveaways of the book Sparano + Mooney: A Way of Working, by 2024 Practice + Design Conference keynote speaker Anne Mooney, FAIA.
West Section Holiday Happy Hour
Wednesday, December 18th, 5:30 – 7:30pm join fellow Western Slope members for a Holiday Happy Hour hosted at Forum Phi’s Aspen office. Light food and drink will be provided. Please RSVP so that we can be prepared, and we will look forward to seeing you!
South Section Holiday Happy Hour
Thursday, December 19th, from 5 – 7pm, join AIA Colorado members in the South for a Holiday Happy Hour at Ivywild School in Colorado Springs. Head upstairs to the Study Hall event space and look forward to a time to connect and celebrate the season. Please RSVP beforehand!
Partner News
Colorado Building Symposium
Join Colorado’s building community January 16th and 17th for the 1st Annual Colorado Building Symposium. This event features builder and building science experts, all based in Colorado, to speak to Colorado specific issues. AIA, ICC and PHIUS Continuing education credits will be provided. Learn more and register here.
Looking to downsize your library?
Historical Larimer County is building out an Architecture and Preservation Library for Northern Colorado and has asked if AIA Colorado members would like to donate any architectural books or magazines. They are a registered 501(c)3 tax, so your donation may be tax deductible too! Contact them directly for more information here.
Career Corner
The AIA Colorado Job Board is updated daily. Job hunting? Take a peek to discover new opportunities. Hiring? Post your single job for 30 days. Connect with qualified candidates. Here are a few featured job openings:
NEWS AT NATIONAL
The American Institute of Architects reaches 100,000 members, a first in organization’s history
AIA is the largest, most influential network of architecture professionals, now with over 100,000 members who share a passion for design, a desire to change the world, and a commitment to following the highest standards of practice. Read at AIA.
AIA Board of Directors celebrates accomplishments of Lakisha Woods, CAE, and announces appointment of interim EVP/CEO
Lakisha Woods, CAE, EVP/CEO of The American Institute of Architects (AIA), has announced her departure effective February 2025. She is the first person of color and second woman to hold this position, marking a significant milestone in AIA’s 167-year history. Read at AIA.
2025 AIA Awards Close January 8th
AIA’s 12 remaining award programs close for submissions on January 8th. Submit to multiple programs with a single application and save money: $450 for the first submission and only $100 for each additional program.
How to apply:
- Complete one common application per project.
- Choose the award programs to enter.
- Submit and save.
Premier Partner Spotlight
We’re proud to highlight one of AIA Colorado’s Premier Partners, IMEG and look forward to their ongoing support and involvement serving Colorado’s architecture community.
With a history that dates back over 100 years, IMEG Corp. grew from several firms coming together under one uniting vision: people-centered engineering. As a national engineering and design consulting company they have intentionally localized a focus to serve carefully chosen regions and markets, allowing them to put relationships and communities first, without sacrificing expertise.
Looking for Additional Resources?
Allied Members are better known as trusted industry colleagues and members of AIA Colorado—they’re the interior designers, the kitchen specialists, the engineering partners, and more who make up our AEC community in Colorado.
View AIA Colorado’s Allied Member Directory.
PCI Mountain States Virtual Courses
Join allied member PCI Mountain States for accredited live courses via Zoom, December 19th and 20th from 12-1pm. RSVP Here.
- December 19th – Building High Performance Educational Facilities
- December 20th – Innovations and Operations: Developments in Sustainable Precast.
Allied Memberships for 2025 are now open!
Do you know a company that should be an Allied member of AIA Colorado? Reach out and let them know!
Allied members are a vital part of AIA Colorado’s community of industry leaders shaping Colorado’s built environment. A membership provides:
- Access to events with exclusive member pricing the same as AIA members.
- Opportunities to connect with architects and professionals across Colorado.
- Visibility through the Allied Member Directory and our member communications.
- Priority window to purchase sponsorships and booths before we open the opportunities to non-members and the public
For 2025, Allied Membership remains $500 per member. While not tax-deductible as a charitable contribution, it may be deductible under other IRS provisions. Please consult your tax advisor for details. Renewal deadline for current Allied Members: January 15, 2025.
Read about the benefits here, and sign up here.
Helpful Links:
Save the Dates:
- 2025 Design + Honor Awards
- Submission window: March 12 – May 16
- Celebration event: September 18th
- 2025 AIA Colorado Practice + Design Conference
- November 12-14, 2025 at Keystone Conference Center, Keystone, CO.
- Breakout session submission window opens May 28th.
2024 Legislator Awards
The AIA Colorado Government Affairs Committee is thrilled to announce Sen. James Coleman as the recipient of our 2024 Legislator of the Year award and Rep. William Lindstedt as 2024’s Outstanding New Legislator.
Thank you to both Sen. Coleman and Rep. Lindstedt for their continued support of the architectural profession’s interests at the Capitol as we all strive to live in a more equitable, sustainable, and beautiful Colorado!
Senator Coleman helped protect architects from an attempt to increase our exposure to construction defect lawsuits and introduced this year’s attempt at construction defect litigation reform. While that bill didn’t pass in the House, his efforts brought awareness to this issue and set the stage for another effort in 2025.
Rep. Lindstedt championed our practice act renewal bill (along with 2022 legislator of the year Rep. Shannon Bird) and helped ensure there were no surprises or roadblocks along the way.
Thursday, December 5th, the AIA Colorado Government Affairs Committee (GAC) welcomed Sen. Coleman to a luncheon and Nikolaus Remus, AIA, Advocacy Engagement Director, presented him with his award. Sen. Coleman shared with the group how the time he has spent with architects has shaped his perspectives of our built environment and offered gratitude for the ongoing work of architects in Colorado.
News from the Colorado Chapter of The American Institute of Architects | 12.04.24
In this Newsletter:
- 2025 Call for Volunteers submission window closes today
- 2025 Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program application window closes this Friday
- 2025 Ascend program application window closes Dec. 11
- Recapping GENERATE Practice + Design Conference: Part 2
- J.E.D.I. Education Pipeline Committee at DPS 8th Grade Career Fair
- Add your firm to the AIA Colorado firm directory
- Dec. 6: Code Class: Getting the IECC Out of the Code Book and Into Everyday Life
- Dec 6. Denver Section Holiday Happy Hour at OZ Architecture
- Dec 10: West Virtual Connect: Managing the Cost Spike
- Dec 11: North Section Holiday Happy Hour in Boulder
- Dec 18: West Section Holiday Happy Hour in Aspen
- Dec 18: South Section Holiday Happy Hour in Colorado Springs
- Partner news
- National news
- Premier Partner spotlight: IMEG
AIA COLORADO NEWS
2025 Call for Volunteers
Volunteering with AIA Colorado is a great way to use leadership skills, meet like-minded colleagues, expand your network, and shape the profession. As you consider involvement, note that many committee meetings take place via video conference, allowing geographical participation from across the state. Commitments for committee participation are for one calendar year and committee chair positions are appointed annually. We encourage candidates from a variety of perspectives and backgrounds including career stage, firm size, practice type, location, and personal demographics.
Apply today to join one of the following committees:
- Academy of Architecture for Health Knowledge Community (AAHKC)
- Awards Committee
- Business of Architecture Knowledge Community
- College of Fellows Nominating Committee
- Committee on the Environment (COTE)
- Conference Committee
- Government Affairs Committee (GAC)
- Housing Committee
- Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) Committee
- Local Advisory Councils (Denver, North, South, West)
- Regional and Urban Design Knowledge Community
- Colorado Sesquicentennial Task Force
Also, do you have an idea to bring like-minded colleagues together outside of these opportunities? Would you like to submit an inquiry or pilot program for consideration? If so, you are welcome to submit an application to form a new group through the same submission platform.
A recent update to our Call for Volunteers now includes a call for a Disaster Response Coordinator. This position helps connect AIA Colorado with AIA National and future response efforts around the country. Please consider this position as you apply for volunteer for 2025.
Before applying, review all volunteer opportunities and descriptions. The application deadline is Wednesday, December 4th, at 5pm.
Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program
The Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program (CKLDP) aims to train the next generation of leaders in architecture through a series of nine half-day sessions. The curriculum focuses on honing skills like:
- Entrepreneurship and firm management
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Negotiation skills
- Client development
- Community leadership
- Understanding industry trends
Each year, this competitive program accepts 16 emerging professionals to collaborate, learn together, and develop as leaders in architecture. This program is ideal for members who are eager to advance in their career and either have not yet become a licensed architect, or have been licensed for 10 years or less.
Applications for the 2025 Class are now available with the window to apply closing Friday, December 6th.
Ascend Mentorship Program
The Ascend Program connects emerging architecture professionals with mid-career architects through mentorship as an intentional first step into the profession. These connections will support EP’s in the early stage of their careers, guiding through challenges, setting goals, and developing the skill set to succeed. Ascend groups are organized locally. Program Outcomes:
- Guidance
- Awareness and identification of culture of architecture profession. Training on professional etiquette and expectations. Negotiate the adjustments from academia to profession.
- Support, Problem Solving
- Preparing for and dealing with challenges in the working environment.
- Career Planning, Goal Setting
- Understanding the different career paths in architecture. Setting goals in a career and developing a pathway to achieve those goals.
Mentors and Mentees for the 2025 program are now invited to apply. Mentors and Mentees are invited to apply no later than Wednesday, December 11, 2024.
Conference Wrap Up and Photography
Delve into GENERATE 2024 Practice + Design Conference presentation recaps, access download links to the conference photos, and catch up on everything that unfolded over three very full and enjoyable days, visit the conference page at aiacolorado.org/conference.
To view and download photography from the conference, follow these steps:
- Follow this link to access your secure and shareable gallery. https://theunfounddoor.sproutstudio.com/gallery/aia-generate-2024
- To download, click the download cloud icon in the top right corner of the gallery.
- Enter your email address for the delivery of the digital download and use the following passcode:
- Full Resolution Passcode: aia2024
- Web Resolution Passcode: aia2024web
Keynote recap: Marlon Blackwell, FAIA, and Meryati Blackwell, AIA, “Radical Practice”
The final keynote of the conference offered a delightful twist: hearing from both Marlon Blackwell, FAIA, and Meryati Blackwell, AIA, together. During soundcheck, Marlon remarked, “You know, we don’t get to do this together very often.” This set the tone for an engaging and dynamic presentation, as the duo stood side-by-side, working through nearly 200 slides. They drew deeply from their vault of expertise, sharing insightful and captivating nuances for each project they highlighted. Jon Bell, AIA Colorado Communications and Creative Director, shares thoughts and project overviews here.
Keynote recap: Julie Snow, FAIA, “Architecture’s Trajectory”
Julie Snow’s keynote focused on how small ideas can bring a project to life. She stated “as a studio, we rely on the power of small ideas. The ability of small ideas to navigate the design process. I would suggest that the most critical design decisions may not be the singular big idea, but instead the small ideas that refine the project.” Jose Banuelos, a junior majoring in architecture at the College of Environmental Design, University of Colorado at Boulder, was on hand to share from the keynote presentation here.
Breakout Session recap: Designing neuro-inclusive and accessible spaces
During the first set of breakout sessions, the J.E.D.I. committee presented “If design can be the source of exclusion, can it also be the remedy? Designing neuro-inclusive and accessible spaces,” a breakout session that was the culmination of many years of planning, in part to gain HSW certification. The session began with an explanation of neurodiversity and expanded into actionable suggestions for designers to consider when designing for neurodiversity and neurodivergence. Anna Friedrich, AIA, AIA Colorado Associate Director shares about the journey for HSW justification and key session takeaways here.
J.E.D.I. Education Pipeline Committee at DPS 8th Grade Career Fair
On November 20th and 21st, 2024, the AIA Colorado Justice, Equity,Diversity, Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) Education Pipeline Committee, NOMA Colorado, College of Architecture and Planning at CU Denver, and AIA Colorado members hosted an “architecture” table at the Denver Public Schools 8th Grade Career Fair. Over 3,400 middle school students were introduced to exciting career possibilities and exciting post-secondary options. Learn about the event and some of the questions that 8th graders have for architects here.
Add your firm to the new AIA Colorado firm directory!
AIA Colorado staff often receives inquiries from clients looking to hire architects from firms of all sizes across Colorado. Our goal with this Firm Member Directory is to help you get discovered and connect with potential projects. We’re excited to launch this new directory, currently in its beta phase. This means we’re still fine-tuning the features and gathering feedback to ensure it meets your needs. Join now and pay nothing for the rest of the year! See the directory here and join here.
Member News
Congrats to Brian Nelson, AIA, of Animal Arts for being randomly chosen to receive a $100 gift card for his participation in our conference attendee survey!
AIA Colorado Events
Code Class: Getting the IECC Out of the Code Book and Into Everyday Life
Friday, December 6th, starting at 9am, let’s talk about the process that is needed to get projects compliant with the energy code. We will take a look at plan examples and field pictures, view good examples and some with have room for improvement. We’ll discuss what details are needed to be placed on the plans to give the project the opportunity to be successful. We will also discuss the available tools and resources to assist with energy compliance with any project. This full-day program includes lunch. This class has been approved for 6.0 AIA LU|HSW.
Denver Section Holiday Happy Hour
Friday, December 6th, from 4 – 6pm, join AIA Colorado Denver Section members for a Holiday Happy Hour hosted by OZ Architecture, where members can tour the firm’s recent remodel/expansion, connect, and celebrate the season. Light food and drink will be provided. Please RSVP so that we can be prepared, and we will look forward to seeing you!
West Virtual Connect: Managing the Cost Spike
Tuesday, December 10th, from 8 – 9:30am, join Western Slope members for a time of conversation. The topic for this call will be “Managing the Cost Spike while Maintaining Design Integrity”. There will be a brief presentation followed by Q&A. Many of us are facing the same challenges day after day and we gather regularly to share concerns, goals, and ideas for Western Colorado AIA membership. Hopefully, these conversations will create a springboard for more to come. This will be a virtual gathering and the Zoom link will be included in the confirmation email.
North Section Holiday Happy Hour
Wednesday, December 11th, from 4 – 6pm, join AIA Colorado members in the North for a Holiday Happy Hour at T-ZERO Lounge in the lobby of the St. Julien Hotel, downtown Boulder. Please RSVP beforehand!
West Section Holiday Happy Hour
Wednesday, December 18th, 5:30 – 7:30pm join fellow Western Slope members for a Holiday Happy Hour hosted at Forum Phi’s Aspen office. Light food and drink will be provided. Please RSVP so that we can be prepared, and we will look forward to seeing you!
South Section Holiday Happy Hour
Thursday, December 19th, from 5 – 7pm, join AIA Colorado members in the South for a Holiday Happy Hour at Ivywild School in Colorado Springs. Head upstairs to the Study Hall event space and look forward to a time to connect and celebrate the season. Please RSVP beforehand!
Partner News
Western Mountain Region College of Fellows Announces their 2024 Design Awards, Jason Pettigrew Award, and Silver Medal recipients
The newly reestablished Western Mountain Region College of Fellows convened at Keystone Conference Center following AIA Colorado’s Practice + Design Conference and members enjoyed the time together. The inaugural design award program celebrates the best architectural designs and service achievements from AIA members in the AIA College of Fellows Western Mountain Region states and those AIA members who have worked on projects in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming.
Congratulation to Gregory M Friesen, FAIA, recipient of a Silver Medal award and congratulations to Jason Pettigrew Scholarship Award recipient Brittany Goldsmith, Assoc. AIA. Congratulations to all of the Colorado recipients! View coverage of the event and design award recipients here.
Denver Architectural Foundation (DAF) calls for participation in K-8 classroom program
The Cleworth Architectural Legacy (CAL) Project enlivens K-8 classrooms with architecture education, inspiring learners to think critically about our built environment. DAF connects teachers to resources, training and support to implement CAL in their classrooms. Volunteers are one such resource, representing many of Denver’s leading architecture and engineering firms. Together, teachers and volunteers utilize architecture as a tool for students to actively engage with their classroom subjects. For more information and to get your firm involved, contact DAF here.
Looking to downsize your library?
Historical Larimer County is building out an Architecture and Preservation Library for Northern Colorado and has asked if AIA Colorado members would like to donate any architectural books or magazines. They are a registered 501(c)3 tax, so your donation may be tax deductible too! Contact them directly for more information here.
Career Corner
The AIA Colorado Job Board is updated daily. Job hunting? Take a peek to discover new opportunities. Hiring? Post your single job for 30 days. Connect with qualified candidates. Here are a few featured job openings:
NEWS AT NATIONAL
ABI October 2024: Business conditions at architecture firms begin to moderate
After twenty months of declines, architecture firm billings were flat in October. The AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score for the month was 50.3, meaning that the share of firms that reported declining billings was essentially equal to the share of firms that reported increasing billings. Read at AIA.
Young Architects Forum August newsletter
A newsletter from the AIA Young Architects Forum (YAF). Look out for important news, AIA updates, and ways to engage, no biggie. Read here.
Preparing for interviews in the age of AI
The convenience and efficiency of AI are undeniable, but relying too much on technology can also lead to job applications that feel generic and even impersonal. As AI use becomes prevalent, knowing how to properly leverage its resources while recognizing its advantages and drawbacks becomes crucial. With a leveled playing field, how can you make yourself stand out? Here are four takeaways for using AI to supercharge your job hunt. Read about the tour takeaways at AIA.
AIA Firm Survey Report 2024
Newly updated for 2024,?The Business of Architecture: AIA Firm Survey Report is the only report that covers the full complexity of firms that power the architecture and design profession. With data from more than 1,200 firms—more than double that of 2022—this essential resource includes metrics to measure practice, evaluate performance, and set strategy. Free for AIA members! Get it at AIA
Premier Partner Spotlight
We’re proud to highlight one of AIA Colorado’s Premier Partners, IMEG and look forward to their ongoing support and involvement serving Colorado’s architecture community.
With a history that dates back over 100 years, IMEG Corp. grew from several firms coming together under one uniting vision: people-centered engineering. As a national engineering and design consulting company they have intentionally localized a focus to serve carefully chosen regions and markets, allowing them to put relationships and communities first, without sacrificing expertise.
Looking for Additional Resources?
Allied Members are better known as trusted industry colleagues and members of AIA Colorado—they’re the interior designers, the kitchen specialists, the engineering partners, and more who make up our AEC community in Colorado.
View AIA Colorado’s Allied Member Directory.
Allied Memberships for 2025 are now open!
Do you know a company that should be an Allied member of AIA Colorado? Reach out and let them know!
Allied members are a vital part of AIA Colorado’s community of industry leaders shaping Colorado’s built environment. A membership provides:
- Access to events with exclusive member pricing the same as AIA members.
- Opportunities to connect with architects and professionals across Colorado.
- Visibility through the Allied Member Directory and our member communications.
- Priority window to purchase sponsorships and booths before we open the opportunities to non-members and the public
For 2025, Allied Membership remains $500 per member. While not tax-deductible as a charitable contribution, it may be deductible under other IRS provisions. Please consult your tax advisor for details. Renewal deadline for current Allied Members: January 15, 2025.
Read about the benefits here, and sign up here.
Helpful Links:
Save the Dates:
- 2025 Design + Honor Awards
- Submission window: March 12 – May 16
- Celebration event: September 18th
- 2025 AIA Colorado Practice + Design Conference
- November 12-14, 2025 at Keystone Conference Center, Keystone, CO.
- Breakout session submission window opens May 28th.
Designing Neuro-Inclusive and Accessible Spaces
GENERATE 2024 PRACTICE + DESIGN CONFERENCE
Breakout Series Session
Presented by Dr. Elena Sabinson, PhD, and Dr. Kait Peditto, PhD, at GENERATE 2024 Practice + Design Conference.
Article by Anna Friedrich, AIA, AIA Colorado Associate Director
The J.E.D.I. Committee Presents:
If Design Can Be the Source of Exclusion, Can It Also Be the Remedy? Designing Neuro-Inclusive and Accessible Spaces
At this year’s Practice + Design Conference, the AIA Colorado J.E.D.I. committee organized a breakout session that was the culmination of many years of planning. While the J.E.D.I. committee has previously presented breakout sessions on the topics of diversity and inclusion in design, this was the first HSW-accredited presentation. Committee co-Chair Sarah Morasso, AIA, explained that while they had faced challenges in obtaining HSW certification from AIA National in the past, this year, their efforts aligned with a policy shift by AIA National to offer more recognition to lessons focused on design solutions for people with diverse abilities.
As a member of the JEDI committee, I was able to witness some of the behind-the-scenes work that the HSW Accreditation sub-committee members put into pulling this all together, and I was privileged to attend the talk to witness the results.
The co-presenters for the talk were Dr. Elena Sabinson, PhD and Dr. Kati Peditto, PhD, who met while working on their doctorate degrees in Human Behavior and Design from Cornell University. Dr. Sabinson is currently an Assistant Professor at the CU Boulder ENVD program, researching how design can improve experiences for neurodivergent people. Dr. Peditto is a Senior Design Researcher at the multi-disciplinary design firm DLR Group, where she works to apply neurodiversity design research to practical solutions in the field. Dr. Sabinson and Dr. Peditto both identify as neurodivergent and, needless to say, both women are passionate about inclusive design solutions.
The session began by clarifying that we are all “neurodiverse,” from the simple fact that no two brains are alike. People who identify as “neurodivergent” are people whose brains function differently than established social norms, and may require accommodations outside of what is ordinarily provided. The presenters emphasized that when we design for neurodiversity, we make our designs more inclusive and functional for all.
They also clarified that neurodivergence is not a diagnosis. It is an umbrella term that encompasses many diagnosable conditions, either inherent or acquired, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, PTSD, CTE, and others.
One of the primary symptoms of many neurodivergent conditions is a sensitivity to external stimuli, which can come from any of the five senses. The presentation included an interactive “sensory audit” of the lecture hall we were sitting in, where we broke up into groups to identify potential sources of sensory overload. My discussion group made note of the loud-patterned carpet, the bright glare of sunlight from the open doors, and the rigidly uniform closeness of the lecture chairs, which did not leave a lot of room for movement or personal space.
After the activity, Dr. Sabinson and Dr. Peditto presented actionable suggestions for designers to consider when designing for neurodiversity and neurodivergence. These include:
- Limiting sensory distractions. This encompasses using soft surfaces to dampen sound, thoughtful placement of loud equipment (even the background hum of standard HVAC equipment can be very overstimulating), and introducing natural and biophilic elements.
- Clear and Thoughtful Wayfinding. Wayfinding in complex buildings should be an integral part of the design process rather than an afterthought. Clear wayfinding helps people struggling with social cues feel comfortable and confident navigating the space. They also suggested making the space available to explore virtually before arrival, using an interactive app combined with 360 photography.
- Diversity of space type. Dr. Sabinson and Dr. Peditto touched on the sometimes controversial topic of the open office. Their reviews are mixed – while the open office can be a place of overstimulation and distraction, some neurodivergent people benefit from “body doubling” or having other people around to keep them focused. This emphasizes the fact that designing for neurodiversity is not a one-size-fits-all solution. The most effective designs provide accessible options for the desired privacy level, which can vary from person to person or hour to hour.
- Implementing “Co-Design” polices when working with people with disabilities. When working with people with disabilities, Dr. Sabinson and Dr. Peditto cautioned against making these groups feel as if they are being used for an extraction (or “harvesting”) of information, without full participation in the design process. Disabled and diverse people want the same seats at the drafting table.
What struck me while learning about these strategies is that they are relatively moderate and inexpensive. All of them make spaces more functional for everyone who walks through the door.
It was so fulfilling to have the opportunity to learn from experienced researchers who have devoted their careers to designing a built environment that is safer, more pleasant, and more welcoming for all. As designers, we always strive to make our buildings as functional as possible. It is important to keep in mind that even seemingly minor decisions, such as the placement of HVAC systems or the color and font of wayfinding signage, can go a long way in creating an accessible environment.
The J.E.D.I. Committee would like to extend their thanks to Dr. Sabinson and Dr. Peditto for presenting, and to all the committee members who worked to make this HSW-accredited session possible.
About Elena Sabinson, PhD – Assistant Professor, University of Colorado Boulder ENVD
Elena Sabinson is a design researcher whose transdisciplinary work spans environmental design, psychology, and emerging technologies. With a PhD in Human Behavior & Design from Cornell University, Elena’s doctoral research focused on the development of therapeutic soft robotic surfaces designed to enhance emotional well-being through sensory engagement and self-soothing activities. As a neurodivergent researcher, Elena is passionate about the role of neurodiversity in design processes. She directs the neuro D lab at CU Boulder, which investigates how design can foster joyful experiences, accommodate diverse sensory needs, and address environmental barriers, creating spaces that empower individuals across the spectrum of human experience.
Dr. Kati Peditto – Senior Design Researcher, DLR Group
As a design psychologist and a woman with autism and ADHD, Dr. Kati Peditto is personally invested in the transformative power of evidence-based design for mental health and well-being. A celebrated expert in health and the built environment, Dr. Peditto earned her PhD in Human Behavior and Design from Cornell University before completing postdoctoral work in the Cornell Department of Human-Centered Design. A New Investigator Award winner from the Center for Health Design, her research has been showcased in the Design Lab with Bon Ku podcast, The Atlantic, and the BBC. Dr. Peditto’s journey is a testament to how neurodiversity can shape and enhance our understanding of the spaces we inhabit.
Western Mountain Region College of Fellows Announces the recipients of their 2024 Awards
Western Mountain Region College of Fellows announce the recipients of their 2024 Design Awards, Jason Pettigrew Award, and Silver Medal.
Jason Pettigrew Award
2024
Established to honor the memory of an exemplary person and professional, the Jason Pettigrew Award sponsors an Associate AIA member from the region to attend the annual national leadership conference. The American Institute of Architects College of Fellows of the Western Mountain Region is pleased to confer this honor upon:
Brittany Goldsmith, Assoc. AIA.
Stantec
Western Mountain Region College of Fellows
DESIGN AWARDS
The inaugural Western Mountain Region College of Fellows design award program celebrates the best architectural designs and service achievements from AlA members in the AlA College of Fellows Western Mountain Region states and those AlA members who have worked on projects in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming.
Congratulations to the Colorado recipients!
CITATION
MERIT
Anschutz Medical Center Building | ZGF Design Architect/Anderson Mason Dale AOR – CO
Chimney Rock National Monument Visitor Center | Anderson Mason Dale – CO
HONOR
EMIT | CLB Architects – WY
Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art | Sparano+ Mooney – UT
US Olympic and Paralympic Museum & Park Union Bridge | Diller Scofidio + Renfrow Design Architect/Anderson Mason Dale AOR – CO
DNA Alpine | CCY Architects – CO
Design award jurors included:
Marlon Blackwell, FAIA
- AIA 2020 Gold Medalist
- American Academy of Arts & Sciences Architecture Prize 2012 | Induction 2023
- Chicago Athaneum American Architecture Award 2011, 2012, and 2017
- United States Artists Ford Fellow 2014
- American Academy in Rome 2018-2019
Julie Snow, FAIA
- AIA 2018 Firm of the Year
- American Academy of Arts & Sciences Architecture Prize 2011
- Chicago Athaneum American Architecture Award 2010, 2017, 2018, and 2022
- Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction Bronze Medal
Thomas Robinson, AIA
- Chicago Anthaneum American Architecture Award 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2021
- Architectural Record Design Vanguard 2017
- Architectural League of New York Emerging Voices 2017
- Emerging Voices 2017
Western Mountain Region College of Fellows
SILVER MEDAL
Congratulations to the recipients!
Gregory M Friesen, FAIA
Jack Smith, FAIA
Silver Medal Jurors:
Jeanne Jackson, FAIA
- AIA Western Mountain Region
- Silver Medal 2016
- National Council Of Architectural Registration Board (Ncarb) 20xx
- American Institute Of Architects College Of Fellows
- Bursar 2024
- Chancellor 2026
- American Institute Of Architects College Of Fellows Western Mountain Region
- Ex Officio Director 2023-2024
Phil Gerou, FAIA
- AIA Western Mountain Region
- Silver Medal 2002
- Regional Secretary 1988-1992
- Junior Director 1993-1995
- AIA Colorado
- Board of Directors 1981-1987
- President 1986
- Fellows Committee Chair 1994 -2024
- AIA National
- Vice President 1995
- Fellows Jury 2007-2009
- Ethics Committee 1995-2002
Ann Mooney, FAIA
- AIA Western Mountain Region
- Silver Medal 2016
- Firm Of The Year 2017 (Sparano + Mooney Architecture)
- AIA Utah
- Architectural Firm Of The Year (Sparano + Mooney Architecture)
- University Of Utah College Of Architecture + Planning
- Professor Of Architecture
Denver Public Schools 8th Grade Career Fair
“Humans will always be an integral part of architecture,” explained Claire Messer, Master of Architecture student, College of Architecture and Planning at CU Denver, addressing an 8th grader who asked whether Artificial Intelligence was taking over the profession. “Imagine your community wants to build a new recreation center,” Messer continued. “Your ideas about the programs and spaces will help shape the building, making sure it serves the community’s needs.” This question was just one of many fielded at the “architecture” table during the recent Denver Public Schools 8th Grade Career Fair.
On November 20th and 21st, 2024, the AIA Colorado Justice, Equity,Diversity, Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) Education Pipeline Committee, NOMA Colorado, College of Architecture and Planning at CU Denver, and AIA Colorado members hosted an “architecture” table at the Denver Public Schools 8th Grade Career Fair. Over 3,400 middle school students were introduced to exciting career possibilities and post-secondary options.
The event continues the J.E.D.I. Education Pipeline’s mission to spark young minds’ interest in architecture and expand career pathways, all while promoting diversity within the profession. Students engaged with representatives of the field who brought physical models, digital designs, plan sets, and design books to ignite curiosity. They were handed “Future Architect” stickers in English and Spanish, provided by AIA Colorado, and five lucky school libraries will receive architecture books, donated by J.E.D.I. committee members, through a raffle. Curiosity about architecture abounded, and questions were asked about salary, educational preparation, internship availability, stress management, and the challenges architects face, including the impact of AI!
The 8th Grade Career Fair, an annual event serving the entire Denver Public Schools district, is a cornerstone of their Career and College Success program.
A huge thank you goes to the many passionate volunteers who staffed the architecture table, sharing their knowledge and excitement for the field with the next generation of designers:
- Mallory Esselman, AIA, Anderson Mason Dale
- Deona Florenca, Associate AIA, Anderson Mason Dale
- Sarah Goldblatt, AIA, SG Consultants
- Sarah Morasso, AIA, MA Studios
- Margaret Pauls, AIA, Denver Public Schools
- Jenny Edwards, Assoc. AIA, McMillen
- Ron Abo, FAIA, The Abo Group
- Jeana Delamarter, CU Denver College of Arch and Planning
- Claire Messer, Master of Architecture student, College of Architecture and Planning at CU Denver
GENERATE 2024 PRACTICE + DESIGN CONFERNCE
Radical Practice
Presented by Marlon Blackwell, FAIA, and Meryati Blackwell, AIA, Marlon Blackwell Architects, at GENERATE 2024 Practice + Design Conference.
Article by Jon Bell, AIA Colorado’s Communications and Creative Director.
The final keynote of the conference offered a delightful twist: hearing from both Marlon Blackwell, FAIA, and Meryati Blackwell, AIA, together. During soundcheck, Marlon remarked, “You know, we don’t get to do this together very often.” This set the tone for an engaging and dynamic presentation, as the duo stood side-by-side, working through nearly 200 slides. They drew deeply from their vault of expertise, sharing insightful and captivating nuances for each project they highlighted.
The presentation spotlighted their recently published monograph, ‘Radical Practice: The Work of Marlon Blackwell Architects’, focusing particularly on public and civic projects. The Blackwells explored the transformative potential of design to enhance collective identity and encourage thoughtful, active engagement.
The Blackwells went deep into a variety of projects, exploring the richness of their work, focused on the understanding that the health and welfare of both individuals and communities is profoundly impacted by designs that enhance collective identity and encourage both thoughtful and active engagement. I’ve captured a few details from the projects below, as well as provided links to each project for your own curiosity.
Exploring Radical Design
Marlon opened by pointing out that the word radical is used as an adjective related to the word radicalis, a 14th century Latin word meaning “of or relating to a root.” He said that having roots to the fundamentals to effect change to the word, results in an effective and authentic transformation in these places.
The Blackwells’ approach to design, which they call “abstract unions,” aims to balance engagement and detachment, often blending disparate features. For them, abstraction becomes a process of building connections with place.
Tackling “The Bear”
As a metaphor for confronting challenges in community-changing projects, the Blackwells shared an image of a large stuffed bear that stands ing the entrance to their offices. “Everyone must take on the bear,” they quipped, symbolizing the existential questions their team faces in their work.
Place-Centric Philosophy
The Blackwells articulated their design ethos as such:
In the Place,
Of the Place
For the Place,
(sometimes necessarily)… Out of Place.
They emphasized the importance of embracing both the good and bad to fully honor a place’s identity. This is key facet to their working definition of “making place.”
After giving an overview of the many locations around the world, representing a wide variety of contexts, that Marlon Blackwell Architects has had to contemplate what it means to make place, our two presenters dove into their work. They started with quick stories about an orthopedic hospital in NW Arkansas, a new corporate Walmart campus that will integrate a mountain bike course, and an air traffic control tower made from stainless steel and aluminum that incorporates education and public programming in a first of its kind program. Then, they slowed down the pace and unpacked a lineup of stellar work that kept the room in rapt attention.
Selected Projects Shared
Saint Nicholas Eastern Orthodox Church – transformation of a building
This project transformed a welding shed into a church. Using proportion and scale to achieve elegance on a budget, the team repurposed a satellite dish into a dome—paying a metalworker in beer. The project is the least expensive to ever win an AIA National Honor Award.
Shelby Farms Park – transformation of a landscape
At 4,500 acres, one of the nation’s largest urban parks was revitalized with programs generating revenue and reactivating the space. Each structure, such as the visitor center with its massive porch, is designed to harmonize with the landscape while providing shade and comfort.
Heartland Whole Health Institute – radical health
This project is a healthcare campus integrating preventive care and natural landscapes. The design connects indoor spaces to trails and a ravine, using natural materials to enhance the therapeutic environment.
They decided to make the campus parking garage into a unique structure that not only holds cars, but offers a coffee shop, restaurant, and a bar that now hosts events and weddings. This part of the campus project is an example of how the Blackwells approach each project: what else can they add or change about the project that fundamentally transforms what the project can offer.
Marygrove Early Education Center – early childhood education
Inspired by African diaspora quilts, this vibrant project embraces color and joy, fostering an uplifting experience for children and parents alike. In part by creating a multi-sensory, multi-color exterior, Joy was the operative word that they used to describe this project as they designed for the joy children experience at the school as well as the joy the parents feel while interacting with the school.
Enterprise Research Campus Hotel – urban ensemble
The Blackwells shared how this large-scale project involved designs from several different firms revitalizing a former rail yard. They discussed materiality and shared how their large-scale models were constructed in Italy, where the types of car paints the Blackwells like weren’t allowed to be used.
Ledger City Center – urban interplace
This innovative urban project brings a six-story building down to street level via a unique ramped design, inviting public interaction. When you’re on the street, this building feels more like a one or two story building.
PS1200 – ennobling the prosaic
A creative urban development using Quonset hut arches in unexpected ways, offering restaurants, retail, and residential spaces within a compact site.
Thaden School – education and wellness
Wheels, Reels, and Meals are the three experiences that make up the Thaden Experience. Students learn to work on bikes, how to create stories, and to grow and cook delicious meals. A focus of the school involves learning outdoors, so the Blackwells worked directly with landscape architects to ensure that the buildings connect deeply with the landscape. The buildings interact seamlessly with the landscape, featuring innovative rooflines, slatted siding, and expansive porches.
In conclusion, Marlon and Meryati captivated the audience with their depth of expertise and passion for design. Marlon’s concise, impactful explanations and Meryati’s focus on community connections showcased their complementary styles. The audience left inspired, eager to explore the transformative power of thoughtful, radical architecture.
Julie Snow, FAIA
GENERATE 2024 PRACTICE + DESIGN CONFERENCE
Architecture’s Trajectory
Presented by Julie Snow, FAIA, Founder, Snow Kreilich Architects, at GENERATE 2024 Practice + Design Conference.
Article by Jose Banuelos, a junior majoring in architecture at the College of Environmental Design, University of Colorado at Boulder.
Julie Snow, FAIA, NOMA, founded her studio in Minneapolis, MN, in 1995 and the firm has since grown into a nationally recognized and award-winning practice. Today, Snow Kreilich Architects focuses on producing architecture that preforms against multiple measures of design success, resulting in consistent design recognition for projects that reply on a fresh and intensive design investigation of every project.
Julie started her presentation by offering a few big questions and supplying a way her studio has approached these topics.
She asked:
“How do we bring focus to our most elevated design aspirations, to inspire, to transform daily life, and to offer quiet moments of awe? How do we find transforamtive moments in our architecture?”
Julie continued:
“As a studio, we rely on the power of small ideas. The ability of small ideas to navigate the design process. I would suggest that the most critical design decisions may not be the singular big idea, but instead the small ideas that refine the project.”
Julie Snow’s keynote, “Architecture’s Trajectory”, focused on how small ideas can bring a project to life. In fact, towards the start of her talk, she announced the title of the talk was changed to “Small Ideas”.
In the projects she walked attendees through, the small ideas that refined their projects often derived from an extended context that she also mentioned. Most people would think about the topography or surrounding buildings when thinking about context in architecture, while Julie expanded on those underlying factors by adding social, cultural, and political context when considering the design process.
“Urban Stadium” was one of these projects in St. Lewis that considered the social and cultural history of the area to create a meaningful structure for the community with the development of Citypark Stadium. The small ideas create a sense of community through the portico style columns and the enclosing canopies. These small ideas are what bring the project together to focus on community and the energy inside and around the stadium.
Other projects she presented also embody this principle of small ideas, bringing to life the main purpose of the project. “Ecotone” is a project involving community outreach through the renovation of a skating rink into a community driven space. The existing Steinberg Pavilion and Rink is a beloved public institution that opened in 1957 with a donation from the Steinberg Charitable Trust. The current project will renovate and expand the Frederick Dunn-designed mid-century modern building and site in east Forest Park, St. Louis.
“Industrial Nature” is designed with a focus on the natural landscape that was lost in history.
The design reflects patterns of the river to inform spaces and landscape types. Five main features define the park: two broad tree-lined promenades, a river walk, a flexible green, and a building/plaza zone.
“Quietly Familiar” is a residential project in which the space and connection client could reminisce about his past.
All of the projects presented achieved their purpose through the accumulation of small, yet impactful, ideas involving the many different and varied factors considered throughout the design process.
News from the Colorado Chapter of The American Institute of Architects | 11.20.24
In this Newsletter:
- Recapping GENERATE Practice + Design Conference: Part 1
- 2025 Call for Volunteers submission window now open
- 2025 Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program applications open
- 2025 Ascend program applications open
- Add your firm to the AIA Colorado firm directory
- Nov. 21: AAHKC happy hour networking event
- Dec. 3: Business of Architecture Roundtable: Remote Work Do’s and Don’ts
- Dec. 6: Code Class: Getting the IECC Out of the Code Book and Into Everyday Life
- Dec 6. Denver Section Holiday Happy Hour at OZ Architecture
- Dec 10: West Virtual Connect: Managing the Cost Spike
- Dec 11: North Section Holiday Happy Hour in Boulder
- Dec 18: West Section Holiday Happy Hour in Aspen
- Dec 19: South Section Holiday Happy Hour in Colorado Springs
- Partner news
- National news
- Premier Partner spotlight: JVA, Inc.
AIA COLORADO NEWS
GENERATE 2024 Practice + Design Conference
The annual conference was once again a tremendous experience for keynote presenters, breakout session leaders, expo hall exhibitors, sponsors, AIA Colorado staff, and the hundreds of attendees! The inspiration, networking conversations, time spent thinking through the big questions, and ideas for the future of our profession, will have lasting effects.
Tech Connect offered new and insightful perspectives on the future of our profession and each one of our GENERATE 2024 keynote presenters brought their A-games. We broke news about the role of Colorado architects in future seasons of the ByDesign TV show, and 2024 Architect of the Year, Adam Wagoner, AIA, was right in the center of the Expo Hall to capture the best of the ideas from conference for his Architect-ing podcast, so we can all keep the conversation going in the months ahead.
While we work through the photos and details from the days at Keystone, we’re going to share a few recaps in this newsletter and share the remaining articles, recaps, insights, and nuggets of wisdom, along with a complete bank of imagery in our next newsletter, delivered to you December 4th.
Thank you to our Conference Committee and the many volunteers who helped to pull off a truly great conference!
Keynote recap: Evelyn M. Lee, FAIA, 2024 AIA President-elect
After a day of design-focused, inspirational keynotes, the 2025 AIA President-Elect’s Friday morning Q&A session provided a refreshing shift to the narrative. The conversation centered around a few topics: how the profession evolves to meet future issues, around attracting and retaining talent as we face competition from adjacent professions, and how we and shift practice models in order to provide greater benefits and pay. Conference Committee Co-Chair Kaylyn Kirby, AIA shares perspectives on the session here.
Keynote recap: Anne Mooney, FAIA, A Way of Working
During Anne Mooney’s insightful and inspiring keynote presentation, she described how she grounds her projects in strong ideas and translates those ideas into meaningful architectural designs. Her way of working involves slowing down to move beyond preconceptions, allowing time to uncover the unique potential within every project. Andrea Malta, a senior at the College of Architecture and Planning at CU Denver, took in the presentation and shares the journey of what she learned here.
Randy Deutsch, FAIA: How AI changes architecture
Kicking off the Tech Connect 1-Day event, Randy Deutsch shared practical insights and a forward thinking perspective for attendees to consider when contemplating AI’s role in an architect’s career. Andy Rockmore, AIA, opens up his notebook from the session here.
Arjun Kaicker, Intl. Assoc. AIA: Transforming workplace design with AI
What if, instead of anxiety, “AI” fostered a sense of empathy: feelings of connection and collaboration, of personalization, flexibility, adaptability, and environmental evolution? These are the types of big questions that Arjun Kaicker, Intl. Assoc. AIA, of Zaha Hadid Architects, bought to the discussion and Craig Lawrence, AIA, was there to capture it all here.
2025 Call for Volunteers
Volunteering with AIA Colorado is a great way to use leadership skills, meet like-minded colleagues, expand your network, and shape the profession. As you consider involvement, note that many committee meetings take place via video conference, allowing geographical participation from across the state. Commitments for committee participation are for one calendar year and committee chair positions are appointed annually. We encourage candidates from a variety of perspectives and backgrounds including career stage, firm size, practice type, location, and personal demographics.
Apply today to join one of the following committees:
- Academy of Architecture for Health Knowledge Community (AAHKC)
- Awards Committee
- Business of Architecture Knowledge Community
- College of Fellows Nominating Committee
- Committee on the Environment (COTE)
- Conference Committee
- Government Affairs Committee (GAC)
- Housing Committee
- Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) Committee
- Local Advisory Councils (Denver, North, South, West)
- Regional and Urban Design Knowledge Community
- Colorado Sesquicentennial Task Force
Also, do you have an idea to bring like-minded colleagues together outside of these opportunities? Would you like to submit an inquiry or pilot program for consideration? If so, you are welcome to submit an application to form a new group through the same submission platform.
A recent update to our Call for Volunteers now includes a call for a Disaster Response Coordinator. This position helps connect AIA Colorado with AIA National and future response efforts around the country. Please consider this position as you apply for volunteer for 2025.
Before applying, review all volunteer opportunities and descriptions. The application deadline is Wednesday, December 4th, at 5pm.
Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program
The Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program (CKLDP) aims to train the next generation of leaders in architecture through a series of nine half-day sessions. The curriculum focuses on honing skills like:
- Entrepreneurship and firm management
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Negotiation skills
- Client development
- Community leadership
- Understanding industry trends
Each year, this competitive program accepts 16 emerging professionals to collaborate, learn together, and develop as leaders in architecture. This program is ideal for members who are eager to advance in their career and either have not yet become a licensed architect, or have been licensed for 10 years or less.
Applications for the 2025 Class are now available with the window to apply closing Friday, December 6th.
Ascend Mentorship Program
The Ascend Program connects emerging architecture professionals with mid-career architects through mentorship as an intentional first step into the profession. These connections will support EP’s in the early stage of their careers, guiding through challenges, setting goals, and developing the skill set to succeed. Ascend groups are organized locally. Program Outcomes:
- Guidance
- Awareness and identification of culture of architecture profession. Training on professional etiquette and expectations. Negotiate the adjustments from academia to profession.
- Support, Problem Solving
- Preparing for and dealing with challenges in the working environment.
- Career Planning, Goal Setting
- Understanding the different career paths in architecture. Setting goals in a career and developing a pathway to achieve those goals.
Mentors and Mentees for the 2025 program are now invited to apply. Mentors and Mentees are invited to apply no later than Wednesday, December 11, 2024.
Add your firm to the new AIA Colorado firm directory!
AIA Colorado staff often receives inquiries from clients looking to hire architects from firms of all sizes across Colorado. Our goal with this Firm Member Directory is to help you get discovered and connect with potential projects. We’re excited to launch this new directory, currently in its beta phase. This means we’re still fine-tuning the features and gathering feedback to ensure it meets your needs. Join now and pay nothing for the rest of the year! See the directory here and join here.
Member News
Congratulations to AIA Colorado member firms Bldg. Collective Architecture + Design CCY Architects, CG Modern Architecture, Renée del Gaudio Architecture, Semple Brown Design, and Tomecek Studio Architecture who were recently included on the Forbes list of Top 200 Residential Architects.
AIA Colorado Events
AAHKC Happy Hour
Thursday, November 21st, 5:30 – 7:30pm, hosted at HDR, join the Colorado Academy of Architecture for Health Knowledge Community (AAHKC) for a happy hour networking event.
Business of Architecture Roundtable: Remote Work Do’s and Don’ts
Tuesday, December 3rd, 5:30 – 8pm, join the AIA Colorado Business of Architecture Committee for a roundtable discussion of remote work do’s and don’ts.
Topics to be discussed include:
- Should our practices be fully remote, fully in-person, or hybrid
- Setting employer and employee expectations
- Incentivizing employees to come to the office
- Remote work policy creation
Event will be held in person at Neoera’s office in Denver with virtual attendance available.
Code Class: Getting the IECC Out of the Code Book and Into Everyday Life
Friday, December 6th, starting at 9am, let’s talk about the process that is needed to get projects compliant with the energy code. We will take a look at plan examples and field pictures, view good examples and some with have room for improvement. We’ll discuss what details are needed to be placed on the plans to give the project the opportunity to be successful. We will also discuss the available tools and resources to assist with energy compliance with any project. This full-day program includes lunch. This class has been approved for 6.0 AIA LU|HSW.
Denver Section Holiday Happy Hour
Friday, December 6th, from 4 – 6pm, join AIA Colorado Denver Section members for a Holiday Happy Hour hosted by OZ Architecture, where members can tour the firm’s recent remodel/expansion, connect, and celebrate the season. Light food and drink will be provided. Please RSVP so that we can be prepared, and we will look forward to seeing you!
West Virtual Connect: Managing the Cost Spike
Tuesday, December 10th, from 8 – 9:30am, join Western Slope members for a time of conversation. The topic for this call will be “Managing the Cost Spike while Maintaining Design Integrity”. There will be a brief presentation followed by Q&A. Many of us are facing the same challenges day after day and we gather regularly to share concerns, goals, and ideas for Western Colorado AIA membership. Hopefully, these conversations will create a springboard for more to come. This will be a virtual gathering and the Zoom link will be included in the confirmation email.
North Section Holiday Happy Hour
Wednesday, December 11th, from 4 – 6pm, join AIA Colorado members in the North for a Holiday Happy Hour at T-ZERO Lounge in the lobby of the St. Julien Hotel, downtown Boulder. Please RSVP beforehand!
West Section Holiday Happy Hour
Wednesday, December 18th, 5:30 – 7:30pm join fellow Western Slope members for a Holiday Happy Hour hosted at Forum Phi’s Aspen office. Light food and drink will be provided. Please RSVP so that we can be prepared, and we will look forward to seeing you!
South Section Holiday Happy Hour
Thursday, December 19th, from 5 – 7pm, join AIA Colorado members in the South for a Holiday Happy Hour at Ivywild School in Colorado Springs. Head upstairs to the Study Hall event space and look forward to a time to connect and celebrate the season. Please RSVP beforehand!
Partner News
Denver Architectural Foundation (DAF) calls for participation in K-8 classroom program
The Cleworth Architectural Legacy (CAL) Project enlivens K-8 classrooms with architecture education, inspiring learners to think critically about our built environment. DAF connects teachers to resources, training and support to implement CAL in their classrooms. Volunteers are one such resource, representing many of Denver’s leading architecture and engineering firms. Together, teachers and volunteers utilize architecture as a tool for students to actively engage with their classroom subjects. For more information and to get your firm involved, contact DAF here.
Energize Denver December Feedback Sessions
The Energize Denver program is updating its rules and regulations to add additional flexibility options for meeting the 2030 targets. This session is designed to present the second draft of changes and gather feedback to refine the design of the options.
Public Sessions
- December 3, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. (register)
- December 4, 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. (register)
- December 5, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. (register)
Service Provider Sessions
Manufacturing, Agricultural, and Industrial Buildings
December 4, 12:00-1:00pm (register)
Career Corner
The AIA Colorado Job Board is updated daily. Job hunting? Take a peek to discover new opportunities. Hiring? Post your single job for 30 days. Connect with qualified candidates. Here are a few featured job openings:
NEWS AT NATIONAL
AIA Materials Pledge By the Numbers
New in 2024! Access the AIA Materials Pledge By the Numbers report—tracking firm signatory progress on positive material specification. The AIA Materials Pledge offers signatory firms a reporting framework to track and document their progress specifying healthier materials that contribute to the five impact categories: Human health, social health and equity, climate health, ecosystem health, and a circular economy. Download the report at AIA.
AIA Firm Survey Report 2024
Newly updated for 2024,?The Business of Architecture: AIA Firm Survey Report is the only report that covers the full complexity of firms that power the architecture and design profession. With data from more than 1,200 firms—more than double that of 2022—this essential resource includes metrics to measure practice, evaluate performance, and set strategy. Free for AIA members! Get it at AIA
Call for submissions: Project-based AIA awards
AIA Awards is launching a new application process for 2025 awards. AIA is streamlining its award submission timeline and improving the submission process by implementing a common submission form for all project-based AIA awards. The common submission form will offer a more cohesive and user-friendly experience for applicants and allow project-based submissions for multiple categories in a single application. This approach reduces the administrative burden on both applicants and the AIA. Learn more and start your submission at AIA.
Premier Partner Spotlight
We’re proud to highlight one of AIA Colorado’s Premier Partners, JVA, Incorporated, and look forward to their ongoing support and involvement serving Colorado’s architecture community.
JVA is a consulting engineering firm with offices in Boulder, Fort Collins, Winter Park,
Glenwood Springs, and Denver, Colorado. Since 1956, JVA has provided engineering
services to architects, owners, building departments, and general contractors in Colorado
and nationwide. Our Structural, Civil, and Environmental engineering departments offer
highly skilled engineers who complement your experience to fully meet your design and
construction needs. We take pride in our commitment to provide excellent service.
Looking for Additional Resources?
Allied Members are better known as trusted industry colleagues and members of AIA Colorado—they’re the interior designers, the kitchen specialists, the engineering partners, and more who make up our AEC community in Colorado.
View AIA Colorado’s Allied Member Directory.
Helpful Links:
Save the Dates:
- 2025 Design + Honor Awards
- Submission window: March 12 – May 16
- Celebration event: September 18th
- 2025 AIA Colorado Practice + Design Conference
- November 12-14, 2025 at Keystone Conference Center, Keystone, CO.
- Breakout session submission window opens May 28th.
Evelyn M. Lee, FAIA
GENERATE 2024 Practice + Design Conference
Thrive In ’25. Leading The Institute as the 101st President of AIA
Keynote presented as a conversation with Evelyn M. Lee, FAIA, 2024 AIA President-elect, and Mike Chapman, Executive Producer at ByDesign, at the GENERATE 2024 Practice + Design Conference.
Article by Kaylyn Kirby, AIA, Associate Principal at Semple Brown Design.
As someone who already greatly respects and appreciates Evelyn – her work within the Institute, Practice Disrupted podcast, and beyond – I was excited for her session at this year’s AIA Colorado Practice + Design Conference. She did not disappoint.
After a day of design-focused, inspirational keynotes, the 2025 AIA President-Elect’s Q&A session provided a refreshing shift to the narrative. The conversation centered around a few topics: how the profession evolves to meet future issues, around attracting and retaining talent as we face competition from adjacent professions, and how we and shift practice models in order to provide greater benefits and pay.
With a Q&A format of presentation, some of the topics of discussion are bundled below.
Competition with tech
Evelyn started her career in traditional practice before shifting to tech and is now serving as consultant to tech companies, along with her other pursuits. When realizing her passion and skills lied in Project Management and CA, she realized her skills were highly transferrable to other industries that would provide greater pay and flexibility, especially as she grew in her career and family.
The starting salary for an entry level UX (User Experience) designer is $120,000; the starting salary for a recent architecture grad is … not that. Tech and other adjacent fields also offer expanded benefits such as unlimited PTO, longer maternity and paternity leave, more holidays, and more. This is something that the current business model of architecture cannot support. If we want to attract and retain our talent, we have to change how we do business. We must stop the race to the bottom to get the job, but rather shift conversations both externally and internally to expand our services and thus bolster our ability to provide better pay and benefits.
She noted it’s hard for architects to advocate for higher fees on projects when clients know what we get paid (thanks google). It seems a change in conversation is required – architects are doing more than ever to deliver projects today. There are expanded documentation, coordination, entitlements, building code and energy code compliance requirements that require additional time, effort, and expertise. Architects are seemingly absorbing, rather than addressing, the greater scope with clients.
Onboarding
Evelyn noted that people determine if they will stay at a job long term, rather than a few years or as a career stepping stone, within the first 90 days on the job. This time pressure places great importance on the onboarding process, integrating talent into the culture, and making sure they feel equipped to do their job. This goes beyond onboarding in the first week but requires check-ins at 30 and 90 days to see how that person is acclimating into the new position.
Personally, I also think onboarding is a great time to understand how the firm is operating from fresh perspectives. For example, does our file structure make sense? Is it easy to find the resources you need throughout your day, week, etc.?
Management
Evelyn also discussed a very interesting approach to managing teams – a “personal manual.” The idea is that different managers (i.e. Project Managers) have different styles and preferred communication styles.
She proposed managers should create a manual for themselves that contains how they prefer to be communicated with, such as method (phone, in person, message, etc.), time of day or specific days that work best, and when to elevate an issue to them for additional insight. This allows staff that may be working with different managers to better understand why a communication method that works with one manager may be less effective for another.
I think this is also an exercise that allows people to really think through and understand their own working and communication styles.
Mentoring
There have been many conversations over the years and at AIA Colorado’s annual conference about how we mentor in architecture and what that looks like in a flexible/hybrid environment. Evelyn noted the idea of “osmosis learning” is not happening and is not as effective as some believe.
As someone who personally struggles with retaining focus in a loud open-office setting, I could relate to her opinion around this topic. Most people in the office have their headphones on to help filter out the noise of the open office, people on meetings, chatting, etc. The antiquated idea that everyone is simply overhearing their co-workers navigating phone calls and coordination issues as a form of learning, is not really working. We have too many distractions and too many working styles for that to be effective.
Evelyn also noted that the profession likes to simply “throw people in the deep end” rather than actively training and mentoring them. We have to be more intentional in how we mentor and teach, this is even more critical in a hybrid and flexible work environment. Evelyn suggested cataloging resources and making sure they were easy to find for all employees. Things such as a video tutorial for common questions or tasks, or a slack channel dedicated to detailing or code questions. The benefit of a channel is that it is then a resource that can be searched by people in the future that may have the same question. These types of activities cut down on siloed or repeated email questions back and forth.
How we work – flexibility, remote/hybrid work
In 2024, it’s easy to forget the state of the world and work in 2020. However, the pandemic forced us to shift how, and where, we work and how we communicated and collaborated on projects. There are many opinions on what architecture practice looks like today, but I would urge us to not let the lessons we learned during the pandemic be lost. There are times of day that different people work most effectively, which may or may not align with standard business hours. As long as this is communicated and understood by project teams, it should not be an issue. The profession needs to evolve and embrace the flexibility, remote and hybrid work that we proved could work during the pandemic, and that competing industries are providing. The younger workforce will demand it or look for alternative options outside of the field.
With general declining college acceptance rates due to a lull in birth rates following the Great Recession, we’re already going to be seeing declining numbers of architectural graduates in the coming years. Pair this with a high cost of investment (higher education costs / student loans) and a low return on investment (low pay and benefits), the profession could face a challenging future. We are a creative and problem-solving profession, let’s approach a change in practice models and the future of work with this perspective.
About Evelyn
Evelyn M. Lee, FAIA, is a multi-faceted professional who uniquely blends her architectural background with a tech-driven focus. As an architect now immersed in the tech industry, she serves as an angel investor, startup advisor, and fractional COO for SMB Architecture firms, playing a pivotal role in their growth and success. Despite her career transition, Evelyn’s passion for architecture remains unshaken, fueled by a deep admiration for the professionals in the field, their dedication to serving clients, and the indelible impact they imprint on communities.
A sought-after speaker, Evelyn regularly shares her insights on the evolution of architecture practice, leadership and team development, the integration of technology in practice operations, and the exploration of alternative careers. Outside of her architectural pursuits, she is a founding advisor for Women Defining AI, championing a more inclusive and diverse landscape in artificial intelligence. Evelyn Lee’s leadership and forward-thinking approach are not just about innovation and progress, they’re about guiding the architectural profession towards new, uncharted directions.